


warm sunlight dances around me (i see you with dead leaves in your hands)

by nanachansan



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Canon-Typical Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), M/M, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:49:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23332645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanachansan/pseuds/nanachansan
Summary: A hand rested upon their face, now pressing their foreheads together, a toothy grin playing on the god of the Underworld’s face and they could only follow suit. Their heart was filled to the brim, all the tension from the fall and they fact that they still had to leave thrumming under their fingertips, forgotten like a faded photograph. They mustn’t worry about such things when their love was right there, ready to be kissed again.Edward and Oswald hadn't met before, only through brief glances and hushed whispers. They ought to know that Hades and Persephone will always meet again and it wouldn't be different in Gotham.
Relationships: Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	warm sunlight dances around me (i see you with dead leaves in your hands)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This is my first work for this fandom and I haven't written fic in like,,,,, 3 years, so please forgive me if this is less than perfect, specially when my first language is Portuguese. Thanks a lot to vaporwavevulcan @ Tumblr for beta-ing this huge monstruosity. I have some other wips in the fandom and hopefully they'll be done some day so I can post then as well.
> 
> As per warnings: there's some torture on Mr. Leonard, fucking on blood (not hygienic as you can tell) and I tweak weird things on canon because I actually felt like it would roll a little better with the whole AU thing. I also don't really like going word-by-word with canon, so I hope you guys can excuse that. ANYWAY, the last thing I wanted to share is this fic's playlist, I listened to it while writing, so [here ya go](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7kdJFJnwkVea5JYxOOXkti?si=UMMW332BTNaCvFjyFfb74g).

It all started with a narcissus.

The rushed whispers of the naiads left behind as the long, sheer gown dragged across the floor. Barefoot like that, Persephone could feel the thrumming of the ground beneath them. The flower seemed to call, alluring as a lullaby, hidden away but somehow everything that they could see hidden away and yet somehow the only thing they could see. It was a shade of white they couldn’t quite describe, which was unnatural, as it was most certainly one of their mother’s creations. Its petals seemed soft and they could almost taste them, sweet and velvety in their mouth. Everything used to taste sweet to Persephone.

Somehow the others didn’t notice where they went, distracted by the chatter about Zeus once more coming onto one of them. Persephone’s father was a complicated being. They steered clear away from anything about his love life. Persephone kneeled on the ground, soiling their dress even more and plucked the flower from it. The forest seemed to grow around them, to keep this moment private somehow. Their fingers worked into braiding the side of their hair, the stem of the flower adding up to it. As if the spell had been broken they looked around, confused about their whereabouts for a few more seconds before noticing how silent it was, except for any nature sounds.

The ground beneath them started shifting, grabbing their attention from the scenery and the beautiful narcissus on their hair. A cave appeared out of nowhere, sprouting from the ground as one of Demeter’s creations, like Persephone themself felt when they woke up. It didn’t have the same pull as the narcissus, but they were still a curious being, smart beyond their years, bright eyed and excited. Their eyes twinkled excited to know which God made it, as something like that couldn’t be anyone else’s work.

Getting up on their feet fast, they smoothed their gown, deeming the dirt a lost cause before following into the cave, dark and daunting. The sun only illuminated a few steps in and they kept pushing forward, their arm reaching for a wall so they could get back if the need be. A few more steps in and they tripped on a rock, their gown getting under their feet. Persephone was now falling down a huge hole on the floor, feeling light headed and losing their consciousness.

***

When Ed woke up that morning for work he felt sore all over. His long legs felt swollen and he had a weird kink on his hip that he would have to work up with a little bit early morning stretching. Having long limbs as he did, Ed had learnt to use a few ticks when waking up like that. It took him a few extra moments in bed in the mornings, which were usually made up for, considering how he usually spent his days at work. He’d be standing around crime scenes or running around the GCPD, either examining evidence or retrieving files. After working all the weird soreness out of his body, he continued to feel like there was something wrong, something he should remember.

Usually that’s the time when that other Edward came to torment him. It was, after all, what he had done when Ed blacked out after killing his girlfriend. This feeling had nothing to do with killing somebody, he guessed, sipping his fresh black coffee. Somehow, it felt even worse not having the other Ed there because it meant it was something none of them knew about, bubbling away under the surface. There was no use to dwell into weird nonsense such as that when he had so many things to worry about.

He strolled around the apartment watering the plants in the window, rejoicing in their growth. The greenery around the apartment made it more lively despite its simple furniture. The open concept only existed because Edward was frugal and organized. Living in a single room apartment was way less expensive than renting out a bigger one and he wasn’t the person who could trust anyone enough to share a house with anyone.

After Ed watered the potted plants around the window, covered in the green sheen of the sign in front of his apartment, he felt that urge again. The surge of power that he felt not only killing, but completely getting away with his crimes was exhilarating, filling up his pores with electricity. He packed up his bag to work, took a shower and dressed up, adjusting his tie a few times in front of the mirror, rehearsing a smile for people at GCPD, slicking his hair back.

The first sound he heard as soon as he stepped into the threshold was the grunt of the criminals in the cages of the main foyer. If anyone bothered to ask his opinion on that - not that anyone bothered to ask him anything besides the simplest definitions of the analysis he made -, Edward would say that it felt medieval. It also felt somehow life-threatening. If anyone were to have concealed a knife, they could grab the closest person, cop or not, and put it up against their neck.

For a few seconds, he imagined himself doing it to another person. Putting a knife to their throat, feeling their heartbeat sped up before slicing in the exact patch of skin where the blade would find an artery to bleed them out completely. Ed wished he could conduct experiments like this, wondered how the decomposition would look like in controlled environments with corpses he had produced himself.

“You should go through with it.” His own voice, only hoarser and deeper, sounded crystal clear beside him. He was running some analysis on dirt of a crime scene, dealing with things not related to Gordon and Bullock for once. “Find an easy target, someone no one cares about and wouldn’t give a fuck if they went missing. You know you can do it.”

Refusing to acknowledge that shadow of himself, Edward put away his tools, took off his gloves and went to the main room again for coffee. Giving into those urges once was… a mistake, despite how great it has made him feel. Doing it twice was bad enough, especially considering how much he loved his dear Miss Kringle.

“Love is a strong word, Eddie boy.” His other self tutted, as if speaking to a child. “I don’t think you loved her, I don’t think we’re really able to love anyone.”

“That’s a lie and you know it.” He muttered to himself, wary that anyone would pay attention to him. Luckily, most of them seemed to be engrossed on the daily routines, either on phone or going out on patrols.

Edward tried to push the other one away to the best of his ability, but the thought that Kristen Kringle wasn’t love and just… Anything else, it felt like cheating. If he didn’t love her, was killing her better or worse? There was no way to justify that - no matter how much he ran around his mind, there’s no plausible reason for him to kill the woman that made him feel so special and loved. Sometimes, when he closed his eyes, he would remember waking up with her in his bed before everything went wrong.

A ghost of her light fingers in his hair, his arms, the feeling of her hair brushing against him. She felt lovable; she felt human and soft between his fingers, even when he was squeezing around her throat and restricting her nose and mouth. She felt lovable even when he was slicing her up and scattering her body parts around. In these moments, Ed wondered if lovable was the right word to describe Kristen, but he soon fled away from the thought, too scared to face yet the truth. That he was becoming a murderer, one that delighted with his act so much it frightened him.

“See?” The voice came again, more insistent as Ed finished up his coffee and tried to focus on the work before him. He could almost feel the physical presence of the voice, riling him up. “I know you better than you think you do.”

“Stop it….” He muttered again before someone burst into the room, asking for some files he had borrowed and breaking the spell. At least the other had some decency to stay quiet in moments of surprise like that. The day would be long, so he held on tight and kept at it, mindlessly going through routine until they lost their meaning completely.

***

When they woke up again, there was someone in there with them. Persephone didn’t need to think too hard to know that they had stumbled in the Underworld because of their own foolishness. When they opened their eyes, they saw Hades and knew it was him even if they’ve never seen him before in their lifetime. Once you saw a god, there was no way for you not to know it was them - the energy was there, deep and intense, and it set Persephone to their feet fast.

“I’m so, so sorry, I seem to have fallen here by accident, I am about to leave.” They started stumbling on words in their haste, grabbing their gown that was even dirtier now.

A deity shouldn’t be seen like this - vulnerable, dirty and anxious, especially when the God of the Underworld was there too, dressed up to the nines in an all black gown, wearing his bone crown with his head up high. His eyes pierced through them as if he could see the ichor inside their veins, as if they could see under their skin. Persephone was never at the end of a look like that before, and they crossed their arms around their waist as if it could protect themself.

“You can stay, please.” Their voice was confusing, both soft and sharp, making the nerves of Persephone’s skin jump from only listening. “I opened the gateway. I somehow hoped you would end up here, but I wasn’t sure-”

“You wanted me here? Why?” The deity could not keep the confusion from their face anymore. Sure, a cavern appearing out of nowhere in the middle of a forest felt purposeful, as gods wouldn’t mess with nature too much as not stumble upon each other’s domain. Was that supposed to be an invitation for them? They blinked up at Hades, who was interrupted rudely and stopped talking. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean this in a ill manner, I didn’t know.”

“It was not-” Hades started but interrupted himself just as quickly and despite his head being high, his shoulders were slumped in defeat. “I have done it all wrong. I should’ve sent an invitation, a letter. Hermes is here all the times, I could’ve…”

“I don’t understand.” Persephone’s voice sounded loud against the place they were; they could feel trees near, a few bushes and realized that they were now in the Underworld’s Castle main garden, Hades’s actual home. Despite being in his house, they felt somehow comfortable in the middle ground, surrounded by whatever nature could thrive in that setting. “Do you need any aid? I’m so sorry, my mother could also provide you with something, even better than what I can do.”

“No, it’s not about that. At least, not about the help you’re talking about.” He groaned, putting his hand up to his forehead, revealing his black eyes from under his hair. They momentarily stunned Persephone, the way they could see souls swirling dark, and wanting into his pupils. They raised a brow, finally processing what the god said, gesturing as to ask him to continue. “I felt… lonely. And one day I saw you and you were… You are so lovely and caring and I wanted to talk to you. I didn’t know how to approach you so I left a door open.”

“You didn’t expect me to come through, did you?” They were so assured and Hades nodded, wanting the whole affair to be done with, despite looking at Persephone like they were glowing. The same way you would look at a firefly inching nearer, the same way you look at a very sharp knife coming close to your skin. Will that shiny, pretty thing hurt you? “I’ll stay, until you tell me to go. It is about time I know different places and as much as I love dear mother, she doesn’t let me roam around.” They extended a palm to Hades now, as if to shake on an unspoken pact.

“Wait, what?” The god was once more confused, especially by the hand outstretched in his direction, with no traces of disgust or discomfort. Hades reached back, his digits brushing against Persephone’s and they shook hands before the deity pulled him closer and interlaced their fingers as if they were old friends. “You’ll stay?”

“For as long as I can. I must return to my duties, to mother.” Persephone sighed, assessing the garden, and wondering they could climb one of them during their stay. Some of them curved and reached high into the limits of the Underworld and it made them giddy. “Please show me the best places you can.”

“Let’s go, then.” Despite still being confused, he ended up pulling Persephone’s hand and guiding them towards the trees, as if sensing what the other deity wanted. “I think you will love this.” 

***

Oswald woke up making grabby hands at the air, as if something was amiss. His left hand felt strangely empty, the ghost of fingers between his own, a very sad assessment he refused to let make him even more miserable. He had so many things to make him miserable already. The loss of his mother stung inside him, not dulled at all by the dream he had. It felt like a happy memory and waking up to his sorrow made the wobbling in his legs even worse. Oswald had manage to secure a hideout spot, away from everyone, in a backroom of some restaurant along the docks.

It smelt something foul but the man was so exhausted, physically and emotionally, that he had managed a thirty minute nap under that time. His stomach rumbled loud and clear, but he had no time or money to indulge it. Revenge would taste sweeter than any food could at the moment and that was the only thing that propelled Oswald forward. He licked his dry lips and smoothed his hair as much as he could.

Galavan had to pay sooner or later; the smaller man was sure that one of them might not make it through the night and despite hoping it would be his nemesis, he also knew that there was a chance that he would die. Thinking about joining his dear mother somewhere else, he steeled himself for some car and gun theft before slipping away from the back room, a metal ladle being the only weapon he had for now. Oswald didn’t let it deter him, as he had a party to attend and a man to slaughter.

A few hours later, he pulled up around a block away from where the party was being held, fashionably late as to get the element of surprise on Galavan. A shotgun rested on the backseat of the car, a box of ammunition hidden away at the glove compartment. His body shook despite him trying not to, fingers gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles went white. Some liquid courage would be appreciated, but it could make Oswald’s diming dignity finally leave him.

The man left the car after feeding some bullets into the gun and shoving more ammunition on his suit pockets, cocking the gun, ready for the fight. Lucky for him, the corpses of the cops supposed to be guarding Galavan were littering the front yard. Less work for him and less rounds to spend, he shrugged around, wondering what his next move should be. Soon enough, the sound of bullets flying through the air and screams announced that Jim Gordon and Theo Galavan were on the loose.

They went through the doors, running towards the car Oswald was near, planning to ruin their escape. Oswald took aim, the driver of the car falling like a domino before he came into view, pointing his gun to Galavan’s head, right about Jim’s shoulder before the coward recoiled to use the cop as a shield.

“Step aside, Jim!” His grip on the gun tightened, his voice cracking in the end. Despite liking Jim as a begrudging friend, the smaller man would have no qualms about killing him if it meant revenge for his mother. He warned him, for the sake of the old times. “This man has killed my poor mother and he has to pay.”

“Oswald, I know he did, but you can’t do that.” The cop squared his shoulders, impassive and Oswald felt no empathy coming from him. He took aim again, this time coming for Jim’s chest. He would regret that.

“Put your gun down now, Penguin!” Before Oswald could do anything, Bullock’s voice cut through behind him, a gun trained on the back of his head. He then realized that he could not take both cops by brute force and decided to appeal to their human sides. The man was, after all, a diplomat, under all that blood lust.

“If you shoot me, you’ll never know his plan!” Oswald didn’t lower the weapon, but stared into Jim’s eyes, seeing the resolve on them shatter for a second. “It doesn’t only involve someone you know, but someone you care! Step aside and I’ll tell-”

Searing white hot pain on his left shoulder threw him back on his knees, the pain interrupting his speech and train of thought completely. From the corner of his eyes he could see both Gordon and Bullock taking aim at the roof, where his shooter was nested in. He crawled into the car that was meant for Galavan’s escape, one upping him and stepping on the gas, now aware of the bullets coming in his direction.

Despite the shaking, coming from both anxiety and pain, the car shot forward and he drove away aimlessly, his shoulder bleeding through his suit. The hot bullet was still lodged in the muscle and he could only hold the steering wheel with one hand, trying his best not to lose his consciousness. He looked around, pulling the car off the road and driving to the path within the woods. Once he felt hidden enough, Oswald sighed, throwing his head back and breathing through his mouth.

He grabbed around the car for anything that could be used as a weapon in his feverish state. The man wasn’t dumb enough to think he was safe yet, so he limped off the car, leaving his bloody jacket on it. Oswald managed to find a metal bat inside the trunk of the car and it brought the muscle memory with it. A flashback hit him for a few seconds, remembrance from when he was under Fish’s command.

Shaking his head to put the memory away, his rather rude stomach reminded him of how hungry he was. He felt ravenous, dizzy and tired as he trekked through the forest, looking for something, anything. Looking up to the sky, he accepted the fact that he was indeed going to be dying that night and Galavan was going to make it through, as unfair as it sounded. Besides, the fear of death was never enough to stop him from pushing forward.

***

Persephone was sitting atop of the highest tree they could climb, a smile onto their lips as they looked down at Hades. Somehow, the initial discomfort and fright gave way to safety as Hades seemed to be looking out for them, ready to catch them if they fell. Oh, falling was exactly what Persephone was feeling indeed.

The dress was bunched up around their tights, some pieces torn apart when they were climbing. A small smudge of dirt on their cheek was present as well, completely showing how messy they were. Hades still kept looking at them with something the deity could only describe as adoration. His eyes, visible again, were still swirling pools of souls and darkness, but it no longer terrified them.

“Don’t you want to come up?” They yelled in the god’s direction, motioning so he could come forward. “It’s no scary up here.”

“I’m not scared.” Hades had his brows furrowed, something akin to offense written on his features as clear as the day. “I only do not wish to do it. I’d also rather be here in case you slip.”

“You shouldn’t worry, then.” The deity grinned, delighted to be right about something. The god was indeed wanting to protect them. Their heart thumped into their chest, legs swinging fast. “I’m an excellent climber, I won’t fall.” Looking around, they could see the big castle looming over the place, the Underworld beneath them. They wished they could stay there for longer, especially when they were aware that Demeter wouldn’t enjoy them hanging out with the god of the Underworld. No matter how sweet he was being, holding their hand and indulging on their every whim, their mother would drag them back to the earth.

“Are you okay?” The voice from below boomed and it grabbed their attention right away, only now noticing that their own expression morphed into quiet and sad resignment. “Do you want me to come up that much?” He tried to joke, laughter a little strained with worry.

“I miss the earth, I really do.” They started, Hades expression turning a little sadder. “But I don’t want to leave yet. I want to come back and see you again and again. I want to explore all this.” They made a circle motion with their finger pointed up to symbolize the whole place. “With you.”

“As I said before….” He struggled to find the words and pushed his hair back, a little out of his depth. “You can stay and I mean it. You are safe here, I’ll make sure of it. Do you want to come down for a while and look at more sights?”

“Are you sure you don’t want to come up here? The view is breathtaking.” Persephone wiggled around where they were sitting, feeling the branch give up under their weight.

As they fell, the gown flowing around them and their arms flailing around, they could only giggle, especially when they landed right on Hades’s strong arms. Despite being high up, the fall was soft, the air yielding against their skin to also stop their fall, the time flowing like molasses. Hades looked down on them, checking for bruises when he noticed that he was still carrying them bridal style.

“Don’t put me down yet.” Their voice cracked when they pleaded, once more hypnotized by the god’s deep eyes. “I can see you better like this.” Their hand started stroking his cheek, his eyes closing with a sigh. Using the most leverage they could gather in that position, Persephone propped up and laid a single, chaste kiss upon Hades’ lips, a smile playing on their.

“W-Wait…” It was the first response they heard, before being kissed again, thoroughly, being let down, but still held firmly by their waist, Hades pressing up against them. A sigh escaped every time they parted, the kiss growing in intensity and now, Persephone could say that they did fall for Hades.

A hand rested upon their face, now pressing their foreheads together, a toothy grin playing on the god of the Underworld’s face and they could only follow suit. Their heart was filled to the brim, all the tension from the fall and they fact that they still had to leave thrumming under their fingertips, forgotten like a faded photograph. They mustn’t worry about such things when their love was right there, ready to be kissed again.

“Hold me, please.” Hades could hear the desperation in their voice and they decided to get what they wanted for once with no rodeos. “Kiss me again, never let me go.”

“But don’t you have to-” A finger silenced him before the god could continue. He understood, once more swooping the deity off their feet and kissing them, pulling them up by their tights and pressing their lips together hungrily, like he couldn’t get enough.

Persephone noticed they were moving and hoped that their destination was the castle, a bed where they could keep feeling like this, the warm, blushing feeling that ran from the soles of their feet to the end of their scalp. Nails dragging up on Hades’ hair made him hiss a little during the kiss and stop for a while before depositing the deity on the floor once more.

“If we stop for a minute, we’ll get there a little faster.” He explained, turning shy but offering a hand to the other nonetheless. Unexpectedly, the god was being pulled by his hand, running to keep up with the pace from the other, giggling and dragging them both to the castle.

***

Edward woke up again with a gasp, his legs sore like he ran laps around his building for hours. His chest felt so full, fuller than it had when he buried Kristen a few days ago, fuller than when he first made love to her. He sat up in bed, putting on his glasses, pushing his hair off his forehead as his other self tutted him across the apartment, sitting on the ledge near the potted plants.

“When you fucked her, Edward. Let us never use the term ‘made love’ again, even if it’s on our own head.” The other one said, a little disgusted by the romantic air around the expression. It didn’t help that he could feel it too, the love filling up his chest, the unfounded happiness. “I don’t remember it as well.”

“What we keep dreaming?” Ed asked, more for the sake of formality. He hated not remembering his dreams, his subconscious locking him out, leaving only the raw, exposed feelings for him to deal with. “It wasn’t about Kristen, I’m sure.”

“I told you already, Edward. We didn’t love her.” He sat on the foot of the bed, slapping Ed on the thigh. “Although I’m sure it won’t deter you from this silly, stupid idea of yours.”

“I didn’t get to say goodbye when you buried her.” He brought his knees up to his chest, vulnerable. “It’s my farewell, I owe it to Ms. Kringle.”

“Honestly, it’s stupid. But god forbid me from keeping you from that, if it’ll make you function better. Go forth, make your picnic.” The shadow of himself disappeared from the room, leaving him alone for once.

He watered his plants, strolling around the apartment and picking up the checkered fabric along with wine and sandwiches. Edward was planning to leave work early if nothing urgent came up and driving straight to the forest to sit a little far from Kristen’s grave. It’s not as if he was going to be completely stupid to give away where he buried the body, despite how emotional he felt about the whole matter.

The day was uneventful, but only because Gordon and Bullock were out solving god knew what. Lee was also busy and Ed felt no need to meddle with any of the corpses on the morgue. He slipped in, asking Captain Essen to leave early, citing the anniversary of his mother’s death as an excuse. He didn’t expect her to fold so easy and he was soon driving down the familiar path.

When he pulled over, he was hyper aware of another car parked into the place, which put him in a higher state of alert. Edward grabbed his switch knife from the glove compartment, shoving it on his jacket’s pocket before grabbing the picnic basket and strolling in the woods. The sun in Gotham was never enough to illuminate the whole place, giving the forest a frightening quality.

“I miss you.” He muttered in the air, hoping the words would be carried over to Kristen, as he unpacked and served food for two people. Edward rolled the glass wine in his hand, a bitter laugh escaping his lips.

He only stopped when he heard rustling coming from the other side of the clearing he set up his camp, noticing a trail of dried blood in the path. Always a sucker for his curiosity, Ed grabbed a flashlight from his basket and started following the blood, wondering if the person from the car had been bleeding like that. The more the man walked, the clearer it was that it belonged to the owner of the car. He came back to where he parked and noticed how the driver’s seat was also covered with drying blood. Maybe the person had bled out, he didn’t have anything to perform a test to figure out how long the blood was there, but since the blood was still a little sticky, it might not have been long.

Trekking across the terrain, Ed decided to go back to the spot where he was before it was too dark for even the flashlight to be actually useful. Once he came back, the sandwiches and the second wine glass were gone, only a trail of blood left on its wake. This time, it was fresh so Edward knew whoever it was might’ve been on their last legs and about to die, considering the amount of time they’ve been bleeding.

The man followed the trail, darkness now much more oppressive, despite how safe Ed felt in the woods. He could see a lit up trailer ahead and he decided to approach it with caution, as not to grab any unwanted attention. His knuckles were raised high, ready to knock into the door when it swinged at him, making Ed fall into the floor, knocking his glasses off his face as someone crossed the threshold swinging something at his general direction. He crawled backwards, shaking as he couldn’t see and had to feel around for his glasses.

“Wait… Mr. Penguin?” He uttered, once his glasses were settled on his face again, his hands still shaking. He recognized Oswald Cobblepot as clear as day, although he had never met him, only once saw him in GCPD’s foyer as the man came back from the dead.

“Please help me.” The smaller man fell to his knees, fainting. Ed wasted no time, picking him up and almost retching up, due to the terrible smell coming from both Oswald’s clothes and his wound.

It wasn’t that hard to support his weight, considering the man was light and soon he had laid him down in the backseat of his car, covering him up with a jacket he had laying around. Cobblepot had managed to secure some of the wound, but it had started leaking again recently. Ed had some supplies laying around, especially due to his interest in medicine as well as his recent inclinations for killing, so he might be able to save the men.

The last thing Ed saw through the rearview mirror was the steady rise and fall from the other’s man chest, his thin lips barely separated for him to breath and he could feel something akin to a hand around his heart, squeezing. Seeing the King of Gotham like that, an inch from death, shouldn’t feel this sad, no matter the interest Ed had on him, but it did.

“Don’t worry, mr. Penguin, I’ll look after you.” He muttered, not that the man in question could hear, and stepped on the gas back to his house, under the guise of a very long night.

***

Persephone slipped away from the canopy bed, naked under the covers, so they could saunter over the mirror to look at their body. Despite not having any physical marks, they could still feel Hades’ hands, gentle but firm grasping their thighs and waist. The god was fast asleep, brows unfurrowed and defenseless, under the thick blanket that they both were snuggled in. A gurgling noise reminded the deity of how hungry they wore, craving something sweet.

Looking around the room, they’ve found their gown in an even worse state, ripped from where they tried to get it off fast. Persephone slipped it on, uncaring, since it was the only set of clothes they had for the time being. Maybe Hades could summon something for them to wear while visiting. Persephone could leave some of their clothes in there as well and they blushed at their audacity.

Pushing the room’s door open, they started exploring the castle, looking for any servants they could ask for some food, feeling ravenous all of sudden. When they crossed the threshold for the dining room, their hunger was forgotten for a few seconds when they took it how majestic the decoration looked. The huge chandelier, made of gold and gemstones, hanged about a long rectangular table of oakwood, dark and imposing. There also seemed to be threads of gold stitched into the tablecloth, with scenes of battles and stories.

In the middle of the table, looking fresh, the deity could see a bright red pomegranate resting on a basket and their hunger came back in full force, propelling them forward to reach out for the fruit. They squeezed the fruit hard, breaking it apart and spilling some of the seeds on the tablecloth, which Persephone hoped they didn’t stain. The juice from the fruit slipped down the side of their hand and they licked it off, their stomach responding to how tasty it was.

When Hades came into the room, dressed in different, but still black clothes, Persephone had eaten six seeds out of the whole bunch. They weren’t aware of the rule and in their hunger, they didn’t even think of bothering the god about that. It didn’t prepare Persephone for what came after that, though, when both the god they slept with and their mom showed up.

“Hand over my child, now!” Demeter shouted at Hades and the god looked embarrassed from being scolded. “I knew you were eyeing them, but I didn’t think you’d go as far as to  _ kidnap _ them!”

“I wasn’t kidnapped, mother.” Persephone dropped the fruit in the basket once more, the seeds proof of their deed. “I came out of my own volition and he kept me safe during my stay.”

“Oh no…” Hades looked at the table, his concern clear as day on his grimace. “Demeter, they ate here, also out of their own volition.”

“My child, my stupid, stupid child.” Demeter rushed off to their side, holding them tight. “How much did you eat?” The goddess reached over the table and counted the discarded seeds without waiting for their reply.

“I ate six seeds. I’m so much more hungry than that. I was going to be heading home soon, mother. I did not forget my duties, I only made a new friend.” They tried to explain, not noticing how grave the situation was, noticing the tears forming in the corner of their mother’s eyes. “What happened?”

“You ate from the Underworld’s garden. It means that you are bound to this place and the six seeds you took mean you must stay here for around 6 months, at least, per year.” He came up closer as well, not near enough to touch them but enough to be noticed, kneeling besides them. “I should’ve warned you, I’m so sorry. I hadn’t known you were going to stay for so long and I wanted you to stay, but not like this.”

“What happens if I don’t stay during this time?” They enquired in a curious manner. Half of an year might seem long, but she wanted to stay with Hades. It also didn’t mean they were stuck in the Underworld forever, they had other 6 months to roam the earth as well.

“You’ll be dragged by the magic in the Underworld regardless.” He sounded apologetic, one hand behind his head. “I can’t do anything when it comes to that because this magic is older than my own existence.”

“You took my child from me, Hades.” Demeter let go of Persephone to point a finger into the god’s chest. “You wanted them and now you got them, you must be happy!”

“I swear this wasn’t my intention, I only wanted to see them.” Persephone looked up to see him look both apologetic and frustrated and they put their hand up to interrupt that useless discussion.

"Mother, I came here and also ate here because I wanted to." They pulled the narcissus from their hair, depositing it on Hades' hand as a gift. "I will stay six months here and then six months with you and we'll be fine." When they turned to Demeter, they hugged the goddess tight and kissing her cheek before standing up.

"Marry me." Hades blurted out, shocking both Persephone and Demeter. The deity looked into his eyes once more, sighing deep before he went to try and justify his haste. "I mean, if you were to be my spouse, no one in both Underworld or the earth would dare to cross you."

"Even if it didn't mean safety, I would still marry you." Persephone could not resist kissing him slow again before following their mother across the threshold. "I must leave now, but I'll be back soon. Let us be wed, my love." The smile in Hades face was so large that they wanted to kiss him again, only refraining because they had indeed duties to get back to and a very angry mother to appease.

"Let us." He muttered before the love of their life vanished from the castle, happier than he had ever been. "We'll meet soon enough, my dear."

***

When Oswald woke up once more he felt happy, which wasn’t supposed to happen when waking up in a weird place smelling of chemicals. Despite the hospital smell, it was a dark, green lit place and he shot up after a few seconds, adrenaline rushing through him before feeling dizzy again. He realized he had company in the place, a tall man coming closer with a syringe in hand, smiling sweetly at him.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Penguin. Go back to sleep.” The smaller man wanted to struggle, but his body was weak and too debilitated to put up any more fights. Soon, the needle was on his neck, some weird clear liquid injected into his bloodstream. “That’s it. You’ll be fine soon, you need to rest.” The man started to get blurrier and blurrier around the edges, turning into a disembodied voice that soon disappeared completely as his conscience faded out again.

The next time he rose, the happy memory had faded already and the only thing he could do was plot his escape, looking around to see if he could find anything to help him fend off the tall man. Besides being tall, he looked quite scrawny despite good looking. No such things were important at the moment, only running away before the other one could enact any more weird, medical related things against him. He pushed off from the bed, feeling his knees giving out from under him, falling back again with a loud huff.

The noise was enough to attract the tall man again and Oswald furrowed his brow at him, the gnawing feeling of forgetting something present. His feelings swaying inside of him like waves at Gotham’s shore and a strong pain on his shoulder. That prompted the mysterious man to move closer to him and sit on the bed besides him, no syringes this time, only a tray with water and some tablets.

“I’m sure you’re scared and have a lot of questions.” He started, staring at Oswald, who could only gather himself a little farther from the other. “I promise you that I’ve been taking care of you in your best interest. Those are painkillers for your shoulder, the anesthesia might be wearing off.”

“W-Who are you?” His own voice was hoarse from disuse, hurting his throat in his effort to sound stronger than he looked at the moment. The smaller wasn’t about to take any pills from strangers, especially the ones that drugged him before.

“My name is Edward. Nygma.” He set the tray on the side table before offering a hand to Oswald, that looked at it like it was a dangerous animal. “I’ve found you in the woods, almost dead. You asked my help, remember?”

The man’s head started to hurt, remembering how it transpired. He drove off to the forest in his haste to get away and almost attacked the man that saved him. Despite thinking that help meant being in an actual hospital, Oswald was grateful that it wasn’t the case. He was sure the police was looking out for him in that instant, ready to put him behind bars or worse, under the barrel of Galavan’s gun.

“I-I’m… I’m not sure why you would.” He bit his lip, trying to say “thank you” but not being sure if he was supposed to feel grateful yet. For all he knew, the sly devil could be nurturing him to sell him out later on.

“I admire you, Mr. Penguin.” The way the other’s voice sounded made Oswald look up for the first time since they’ve been talking. Ed had a serene smile on his face, looking sincere. “The way you kill, the way you  _ survive _ … You’re a legend.”

“I’d hardly say I would survive if you hadn’t found me.” Oswald gave a rough laugh, reaching over for the glass of water and downing it all in one go. His throat felt so dry that he almost cried when the cool water hit it.

“You still came back from the dead.” Ed joked before taking the cup away and walking into the kitchen area to refill the cup with more cold water. “But please, drink the meds. I swear I’m not poisoning you and that you’ll be fully conscious after them, as well.”

“I’d kill you with your own syringe if you pulled it on me again anyway.” Os announced without much ceremony, before sighing and taking the meds. Ed laughed in good humor and took the glass back once again when it was emptied and followed back to the kitchen.

If Edward wanted him dead, he could’ve left him on the woods. It was dark and no one would find him for a few days, right in the beginning of his decomposition. No, the man brought him to what he assumed was his house if the well taken care potted plants and piano were taken in consideration. He must have kept Oswald unconscious while he took off the bullet off his shoulder, stitched and bandaged everything well. Probably took care of any nasty infections he had and was now giving him painkillers.

It was more than anyone had done for him all his life, even including his own mother that wasn’t aware of how many times he almost died in the last few months.

The sound of pots and pans and sizzling started feeling the air, along with a very pleasant smell. Oswald’s traitor stomach grumbled and he hoped the noise of Ed cooking would cover it up. Soon enough, the man came over with the tray again, this time with orange juice and a plate of fluffy scrambled eggs topped with cheese along with two pieces of toast and slices of apple. It felt like a well deserved treat and soon he was eating what was offered with gusto, too hungry to care about etiquette.

“Do you have any spicy mustard..?” Oswald didn’t mean to impose more than he already was doing, but he needed something to cut through the richness of his food. The taller man once more came through to his rescue, setting the jar near to him.

Oswald continued to eat until he was done, only a single slice of apple being munched down by him. His stomach no longer wanted to kill him, satisfied with the feast at hand. Ed also seemed satisfied to see him eat, expecting him to be almost dead after what he came through. Hunger was a known feeling to Oswald and he wasn’t going to pass up a free and delicious meal after days with no proper food. Well, the sandwiches he stole were good, but he had no idea of how long it was since he ate those.

“So… I’m very thankful, but I should take my leave.” The smaller man muttered after he was done with the apple. “I don’t want to overstay my welcome at any rate. Police must be looking for me, anyway. I must take some time, too, to grieve.”

“You’re still weak, stay a little more, for a few days.” The other was asking but it sounded very close to begging. Oswald was about to say that he was going to shove weak where the sun didn’t shine when he finally mustered the courage to stare Ed right in the eyes, pulling him by the lapels of his shirt.

Yet, whatever he was going to say was soon forgotten as a flood of memories rushed through him and Ed at the same time. Their marriage so long ago, Persephone’s hair braided with narcissus all over it, a pristine gown. Hades wearing his crown, smiling down at them as if their whole world was reduced to one single being. The first time they made love, before Persephone’s soul was forever bound to the Underworld for half of each year. Oswald could feel his own yearning, looking at the past through Hades’ eyes, himself in another era.

Edward seemed to be struggling as well and Oswald let go of his shirt, grasping around for his hands as the onslaught of memories flooded him. Their kissing intense each time, once before they were thrown at the lions in the Colosseum, once before being a priest and a nun hanged for fornication. They couldn’t help themselves in each era, growing and finding each other and shattering the world around them. Breaking the rules, bleeding and making other people bleed.

“I… My dear…” Oswald tried to start, the words so natural into his tongue, as if he was slipping on a old, well worn glove. “I found you, once more.”

“We keep finding each other in the strangest places.” Ed bit his lip, a hand coming up to stroke Oswald’s face, gentle and electrifying. It buzzed until the sole of the smaller’s feet and he couldn’t help himself, once more pushing their foreheads together.

“Don’t worry. I won’t let you go for as long as I can.” Oswald’s voice was close to cracking with emotion, body thrumming with excitement that made him want to cry. After so much loss and pain, the man was resolved to give up on happiness, but it came hitting him like a train. Somehow, even the sting of losing his mother felt dulled as he knew her soul would find rest and come anew again.

“I killed someone.” Edward admitted, blurting it out before he could stop it. Oswald only smiled at him, nodding for him to continue. “Two people, actually. I was trying… Can you believe when I say that I admired you for killing so well? And then I found myself circling around your reputation because I wanted to be like that.”

“Who knew? My life mate admired me for my basest instincts.” It was playful, but more endearing than that. “I’m glad. I could always teach you.”

Oswald’s skin tightened, feeling the sudden need to reach out to Edward, to kiss him breathless, the underlying desire amongst the sea of affection shining through. Ed still had a hand on his face and Os soon mirrored him, pulling the taller man closer, biting his lip with no strength before kissing deep, trying to convey all his feelings at once.

Edward soon enough pulled him into his lap, hands fitting under Oswald’s pajama shirt, cold fingers making Oswald hiss for a second before resuming his complete devouring of his loved one. Wrapping his good leg around Ed, he pulled the man over him on the bed so they could make out, his fingers travelling through his hair, pulling from time to elicit moans from Edward. Their fun ended when they both of them heard loud grunts coming from some corner in the apartment.

“Oh, my… I completely forgot.” Edward had the audacity of looking sheepish, thoroughly kissed with his face all red and his lips swollen from all the bites Oswald bestowed upon them. He started getting away from the bed while Oswald sat up, closer to the bed rest. “I had company for us.”

“What do you mean?” His voice was once more hoarse, but from the lack of air and how intense it all felt. Oswald kissed people before but none of them felt near the way he felt when kissing Edward. It was as if he didn’t need anything, food, drink, air. All he needed was contained inside a single being that merged into different bodies every time to reach him again. He cocked a brow when he spotted Edward started dragging a man with a bag on his head, the source of the earlier grunts. “Ed… Who’s that?”

“I had this idea planned out before… You know…” He muttered, rubbing the back of his head, looking uncertain before leaving the man in the middle of the room, where a plastic sheet had been sitting out for a while and Oswald hadn’t noticed. “I managed to capture one of Galavan’s lackeys as a gift for you. His name is…. Well, I call him Mr. Leonard, if you will.”

“Mr. Leonard.” Oswald tried the name on his tongue, no recollection coming, but nonetheless pleased. It wasn’t Galavan, not yet, but it indeed felt like a gift, wrapped with rope around a chair, ready to ruined. “Well… What did you expect me to do with my gift, dear Ed?”

“I wanted you to show me how you do it, when you have time.” Ed approached Oswald, looking hungrier by the second, climbing back onto the bed to whisk his lips away in another kiss. This time, Edward was the one doing the devouring, sucking Oswald’s tongue into his mouth, biting his lips, hands creeping up his torso. His lips started tracing down his neck, his shoulder, muttering sweet nothings that Oswald couldn’t understand. “Kill him, my love. He’s all yours.”

“I will… Don’t you worry…” Os muttered, feeling dizzy with how much desire was rolling off Ed’s body, feeling too excited to even move. “What are our weapons of choice?”

“I got you a knife.” Ed’s whisper seemed excited, removing a switch knife from his pocket and presenting it to the other as if it was a secret. “It’s been sharpened today.”

“Well, it would be rude to waste such well done preparations.” Oswald pushed Edward away from him so he could try and stand, way less wobbly but still limping, opening up the knife to admire its shine under the green sheen of the room. “It’s like a piece of art and we have time.”

“We do, my love. I’ll watch.” Edward was the one sitting up in bed now, his eyes trained on Oswald’s figure and he came around, circling their victim that started to struggle against his bonds and grunt some more.

“Shut the fuck up.” Os said, the knife now resting in the patch of skin on Mr. Leonard’s inner elbow, pale and pristine. Oswald could not wait to rip it open. “Do you want me to give you an actual reason to scream?” He started to press the blade to the skin only to make the skin tear and a few drops of blood come out. The man’s grunts started sounding wetter, as if he was starting to cry, the sound melodic to Oswald’s ear. “So you’re scared. Good.”

Once more, he walked around his victim, tutting to himself as the man did not quiet down, only continued crying and even peed himself. Oswald was disgusted, yes, but the surge of power of frightening someone this much made him high. Without any warning, he stabbed the man’s hand, straight through the chair wood. In retrospect, he worried about dulling the blade, but he managed to pull it through, the blood starting to pool up now, splashing a little onto the loose shirt he was wearing.

“There you go.” Oswald decided to try his hand at something better, pulling the man’s left leg up, away from its restraints. “Ed dear, do you have any pliers laying around?”

The taller scrambled to his feet and started rummaging around below the bed before he threw a victorious arm up with a big pair of pliers, along with some other supplies, including huge garden shears and a hammer as well. Mr. Leonard tried kick Oswald and the man laughed, before pulling his leg up again, pliers on his hand before he snapped the man’s pinky toe, the pliers breaking it before finally cutting it off.

The sounds coming from him became even more desperate, wet and sniffling as the blood covered the floor more freely now. Edward was smitten, his other self one with him as he watched the love of his life slice into the man inch by inch. In moments like this, the other Ed would cringe at the term of endearment, but he suspected that his other self was also in love with Oswald, no matter the iteration. Also, they both were enthralled by the violence and bloodshed, his love’s pale complexion now blushing and covered in blood everywhere, like the world’s prettiest painting.

Soon enough, the other was slicing into the other with the shears, enormous gashes on his sides, not deep enough to let him bleed out to a quick death but not too shallow either. It was impressive how Oswald knew anatomy well enough to maim but not kill, at least, not too fast. Ed sat in the end of the bed, elbows on his knees as he admired the other’s handiwork. He wanted to pull him, bloody and sweaty, back to the bed, undress him, lick the blood off his face, taste metal.

“I can’t be bought, but I can be stolen with a glance. I’m worthless to one, but priceless to two. What am I? Love, I love you.” Edward said, a little too loud, a little too quick, making Oswald turn around, the gurgling sounds that come from Mr. Leonard doing nothing to distract him. He smiled back sweetly, entranced by the adorable confession riddle the other splurted. “Oh dear… I mean, I do love you. It’s just so fascinating to see you work him.”

“You can always join, Ed. I’m not sure why you didn’t.” The smaller pushed his hair off his forehead, covering it with blood streaks. He unceremoniously dropped the hammer on the man’s right foot, the one that still had toes and a loud grunt that might have been a scream was ignored. “I think it’s bonding.”

“I needed to see you firsthand. You’re so smart, every move seems so well calculated.” Ed got back into his feet, glad to have laid the plastic in place earlier. There were pools of blood everywhere, some having squished around when some of the cuts were less careful than the others. “I want to see you finish him.”

“As you wish, my love.” He smiled before looking around the floor to recover the switch knife. Oswald didn’t hesitate, stabbing the man over his belly button, as deeply as he could before dragging the knife upwards, gutting him and getting even more covered in blood, seeing some organs starting to slip out with the flood of red that covered the man’s dilacerated tights and the floor.

Edward couldn’t stop himself, standing before his brain could process and pulling the other into a searing kiss, tasting Mr. Leonard’s blood, feeling it warm on his hands as he grabbed around Oswald’s body, nails scraping and hands nervous. A thigh came between the smaller’s legs, feeling the hardness already there waiting for him. He wanted to drag Oswald to the bed, but it felt like it was too far.

Besides that, he couldn’t wait to fuck the other into the floor, the blood he spilled framing him perfectly as he took whatever Ed gave him. At once, they toppled to the floor, Ed falling back to break Oswald’s fall. Oswald kept pulling his hair, like he couldn’t get enough of the brown, soft locks between his fingers. He also kept grinding on Ed’s long thigh, the stimuli making him shudder, the pleasure igniting in his belly and the head becoming unbearable.

“Take off your shirt.” Ed ordered and Oswald would do anything his love asked of him, tossing the ruined garment on the floor.

His torso seemed clean for the moment, only the hurt shoulder bandaged standing out. The rest of his body was littered in some scars and burns that Ed wanted to inquire about, but didn’t have time to. The urgency of his own arousal was screaming at his face to get moving. He flipped their positions, carefully taking Oswald’s bad leg to shield it from the fall once more, claiming his mouth again and soon exploring his neck and shoulder again, kisses morphing into bites and suction. Now, Oswald was both covered in blood and purple and blue lovemarks put there by hungry and touch starved Edward.

Ed’s fingers were sticky blood and he smeared someone across Os’ chest, to see the marks his fingers could leave behind. He wanted those fingerprints to stay there forever, to be carried around beneath Oswald fancy suits as if they were a well kept secret. The blood surrounding his half naked frame made him look like an angel, his violence forgotten for a few seconds, knocking the air out of Ed.  _ Taint him, mark him, make him yours… Be his _ , a voice in the back of his hair sounding annoyingly like his own interjected.

“Touch me more…” Oswald whined beneath him, thrusting his hips up, needy. He imagined that the King of Gotham would be too high to bed, but it didn’t seem like it was the case. Ed smiled down at him, hungry, before dragging both his pants and underwear off in one fell swoop. “Yes, right there.”

“Be patient, my darling. We have time.” Ed bit Oswald’s thigh, pulling the skin before kissing it softly, as if to chastise him. “You look so beautiful like this.”

Edward kissed from his belly button until the place where Oswald’s length, pulsing and hard, needed it the most. He grasped Os’s hips tightly as to keep him in place, dragging his hand across the floor to catch more blood to rub into him, before starting to make a way with kissing to Oswald’s inner thighs, nipping here and there to create a constellation. He knew that Oswald was his and no one else’s, but it didn’t stop him from wanting to leave memories in his wake.

Once he deemed himself ready, one of his hands grasped the base of Oswald’s cock, licking a long stripe for tip to head. The noise Oswald made was almost inhumane, a mix between a grunt and a whine, his thighs almost suffocating Edward. He pushed the milky legs apart, more blood covering the other, before sucking the head sloppily, too uncaring now that his own arousal seemed to have peaked at making Oswald look like that.

He was breathing heavily, sweating, grasping the plastic between his nails and trying not to smash Ed with his thighs again. There was no embarrassment on his eyes as he tried to gather himself and prop himself up on his elbows to stare with his pretty, color changing eyes. Ed sucked the head again before trying to get more of the length in his mouth, not breaking the stare, blinking slowly as to not scare the other, his tongue lavishing the underside of it.

“Ed, please.” Oswald had to lay down again, his hips thrusting up but being held once more by the taller, that scratched the side of the man’s left calf. “I’ll be good, please make me cum.”

Ed hummed around Os’s dick, smug, before sucking with more vigor, bobbing his head up and down, a sticky finger pressing back, further until it found its way to Oswald’s hole, not pressing up against it, but a little higher, right where he knew the press would be more appreciated without proper lube. A thumb pressed against it, tongue swirling around the head before bobbing up and down a few more times, increasing the pressure until Oswald couldn’t hold it in anymore, covering Ed’s mouth in his release, that was slurped up quickly.

“Ed…” Os sighed dreamily, before propping himself up on Ed’s lap and trying to pull his clothes off as quick as he could, ripping buttons and seams alike until Edward was shirtless and his pants were pulled down enough for his member to be exposed to the cool air of the room. “Let me do it for you.” Oswald licked his palm, tasting some dried blood between his fingers, looking straight into Edward’s eyes before moving his hand to the man’s cock.

Sighing deeply, he closed his eyes for a bit, resting their foreheads together as Oswald teased him between his fingers for a while, thumb stroking the head slow, making him hiss once more. He tried to hold off his moans, biting his lips, but his lover’s other hand was soon on his face, thumb freeing the bottom lip from his teeth. Ed had no choice but to suck on his thumb, sucking it clean from the blood, almost addicted to the taste by now.

Grasping him more firmly now, Oswald moved his wrists faster, feeling Ed twitch on his hand, now sucking more fingers into his mouth as he stared right into his lover’s eyes, now green because of the apartment’s atmosphere. Os felt it before, the pull of love, but it pulled on his heartstrings even more, the intensity of how adored he felt when Ed looked at him like that. He sped up once more, twisting his hand in a different angle, pulling his fingers free from Ed’s mouth to kiss him hungrily, his fingers resting on the nape of Edward’s long neck.

“I love you, too.” Os muttered between kisses, feeling the sparks flying between them and suddenly, Ed screamed into his mouth, coming in thick ropes between his own stomach and Oswald’s, heart so full he couldn’t help but kiss Oswald once more. Os’s fingers started softly massaging his scalp, lips grazing the junction of his neck and shoulder, kissing him as if he was going to fly apart. “I mean it. I love you, too.”

“I know, I can feel it.” After coming, he took a while to get his head in place, but he had to reassure the other. He sighed deeply, exhausted and dropped back down, bringing Oswald with him so they could cuddle. Soon, they’d have to get back up, shower, dispose of a corpse and burn their clothes and the plastic. For the moment, all Edward needed was on his arms. “I want to learn everything about you, Oswald. We know each other from the beginning of times, as Hades and Persephone, but I want you as well.”

“I want to know you too. What you want, your aspirations. I want to take you there, Edward. Together, we can run this place until we can get back home. Underworld must miss us dearly.” He caressed Ed’s chest, tracing the lines of his body with a curious finger, still wet from when the taller was sucking it.

“We can run this place. Together, we’ll be unstoppable, Oswald. I’ll make sure Galavan’s head is on a spike as soon as possible.” He promised, grasping the other’s hand and squeezing, interlacing their fingers. “We’ll be home soon enough, but we can make this our house for now.”

“Anywhere with you is my home now, but yes. I will gladly rule over Gotham with you, my love.” He smiled up at him, the first genuine smile he had in so long. He could not wait for his life to begin anew, especially with his soulmate besides him. They were going to make everyone that wronged them pay.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading ya'll. You can find me on Tumblr as arcanana or on Twitter (mostly in Portuguese though) as arcanana_ . If you feel like it, I also have a [ko-fi page](http:/ko-fi.com/arcanana_) for writing and tarot readings.


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